Caroline Mary Gregson (known as Carrie) The second born child of George Charles Knight Gregson and Charlotte Louise Hughes.

Caroline was born on 8 May 1883 at Murrumburrah, near Young, NSW. She was named after her mother’s sister, Caroline Emma Hughes who was also referred to as Carrie. Like her eldest brother, George, she grew up on Cunningham Plains station where she became an accomplished horse rider. As expected of girls at that time, she learnt how to sew, play the piano and paint. She was not sent away for a formal education but was mostly taught by her mother at home with some help from the local minister. Carrie was the most artistic of the siblings and after lessons in Sydney, became a very accomplished artist. She also developed an interest in the new art form of photography.

When a surveyor, Stephen Norman McLean was sent to Cunningham Plains, he developed a friendship with Carrie and they later married. Norman was sent to Papua for surveying work and they lived there for two years. Carrie returned to Sydney when pregnant with her first child, Jean Louise. After returning from Papua and after a second daughter, Lorna Mary, was born, Norman joined the AIF. He served in Egypt, becoming Captain McLean and returned home at the end of the war, not having seen his family for 3 years.

Carrie and Norman settled at Burradoo, near Mossvale, NSW where Carrie established a pony stud. Norman and Carrie separated in 1928 when Norman returned to Papua in 1928 to search for oil. They divorced in 1943.

Carrie’s pony stud was very successful with her ponies in demand in the USA and New Zealand. Jean assisted her mother with the stud and Lorna also became well known in the pony stud world. The Mrs CM McLean trophy at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney commemorates Carrie’s work. The stud was dispersed in 1977 after Carrie’s death in 1965.